Archaeology tips

Predating the Inca Empire by four millennia, a far-flung desert settlement in northern Peru preserves the oldest known civilization in the Americas. Although now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a natural warm-up for the Sacred Valley, Caral and its astonishingly intact pyramids and sunken plazas have evaded the limelight since their rediscovery 30 years ago.

If you haven’t heard of Alula, don’t sweat it — the fact that it’s relatively unknown among Western travelers is just proof that it’s still mostly free from over-tourism.

Whether Uluru is the largest monolith in the world really isn’t that important. What matters is that this immense, gorgeous rock in Australia’s Northern Territory, considered sacred by the local Aboriginal people, was formed hundreds of millions of years ago, and that today it stands isolated and beautiful in the desert. The best part is that you can see it with your own eyes, walk around its base, and learn more about what makes it special to the people who own the land on which it rests.

Every traveler worth their salt knows that Egypt is not the only country in the world to have pyramids, there are plenty of them in Sudan, Guatemala, Belize, and Mexico, among other locations. In fact, the largest pyramid in the world, The Great Pyramid of Cholula, also known as Tlachihualtépetl, is in Mexico, just 80 miles southeast of Mexico City. And it’s not even the closest pyramid to the capital: The Archeological Site of Teotihuacán, just 27 miles northeast of the city is home to three of them. Actually, Mexico City itself has a few.

After you’ve taken a Black Taxi tour of the Northern Irish capital and checked out the world famous Titanic Belfast, make your way to the Giant’s Causeway. The only UNESCO World heritage site in Northern Ireland, this 6o-million-year-old rock formation seems straight out of a fantasy novel. And the best part is that you can visit this incredible place for free.